Improvement in hoop-skirts



PATENT OEEICE.

THEODORE D. DAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

,IIVIPROVE-NI'ENT IN HOOP-SKIRTS.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, THEoDoEE D. DAY, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvementin Ladies7 Skeleton-Skirts; an d I do hereby declare thefollowing to bea full', clear, and exact description ofthe said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein I have represented a front view of the upper part otl a skirt formed with my improvement.

In ladies skeleton-skirts the hoops or springs that are around the upper portion and do not extend all the way around, but stop at the sides of the front opening, are known as the bustlehoops,77 while those that are below and extend all around are known as the body-hoops.77

The ends of the bustleihoops have heretofore usually been connected by tapes or strips of muslin, and sometimes they have been covered by kid or leather. This mode oi' connection is expensive and does not afford a reliable and durable attachment for the ends of said hoops.

The nature of my said invention consists in a spring applied at the sides ot the opening, at the front and upper portion of the skirt, and to this spring I attach the ends ot' the bustlehoops. I make use of hinges for attaching thc ends of the bustle-hoops, and I connect the said springs that form the sides of the opening with one or more ofthe body-springs,

so as to strengthenv the skirt.

In the drawing, a a are the body-springs; b b, the bustle-springs; c, the waist-belt, and d d the tapes connecting the hoops, as usual.

In the drawing I have only shown the parts to which my invention relates, as the other portions of the skirt may be of any usual character.

e is my improved edge-spring for the sides Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,016, dated July 3, 1866.

of the opening in the skirt. This may be plied in any desired manner, and makes the skirt set much better than it would it' no spring were applied at this point. The ends of the The hinges represented in Letters Patent granted to me September 5, 1865, are shown atff as uniting the ends ot the bustle-hoops b b and edge-springs e e. i

The lower ends of the edgesprings 'e e are eX- tended sufficiently downward to reach and be attached to one or more of' the bod y-sprin gs a a, as represented, in order that the connection of said springs e may be durable, and that the opening at' the front ot1 the skirt may have smooth edges, and there be but little risk of the skirt becoming entangled in the garments or in the hair as placed over the head.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A spring forming the edges of the opening at the upper and front parts ot' a skeletonskirt, for the purposes and as set forth.

2. The edge-springs e, in combination with the bustle-springs b b, the ends of said bustle` springs heilig' connected to the cdgesprings by hinges or otherwise, as specified. l

3. Attaching the ends of the edge-springs e to the upper body hoop or hoops, a, of the skeleton-skirt, for the purposes and as set forth.

In witness whereof 1 have hereunto set my signature this 17th day of February, 1866.

THEO. D. DAY.

Witnesses:

LEMUEL W. SEERELL, THos. GEO. HAROLD. 

